Apparatus for conditioning air



July 14, 1942. w. ZUHLK 2,289,894

, APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR File-d July 24' i937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR July14,1'942. w. R. ZUHLKE 2,289,894

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR 4 SheetsSheet 2 `P11441 July 24. 1937 2 f4/f? f? fw |744 l w 5A j A INVENTOR July 14, 1942. w. R. zuHLKE 2,289,894

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR` Filed July ,'24,l 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTO NE July 14, v19412.` wjR. zuHLKE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING A-IR Filed ,July 24' 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MATTO NEY v Patented 14, 1942 UNITED STATE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR -William R. Zuhlke, Yonkers, N. Y., assigner, by mesne assignments, to American Radiator & Standard vSanitary Corporation, New York,

, t N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 24, 1937, serial No. 155,463

V Y, *s claims. (ci. iss-4) y My inventionrelates to airconditioning apis 'subjected to a regeneration 4or reactivation paratus and more particularly to apparatus of action. t

this type which utilizes an absorbent'materlal for removing moisture from` air'contactingtherewith; the present application being acontinuation in part of my copending application'nled October 24, 1936, Serial No. 107,376, ,forcMethod of and apparatus for conditioning air.

The general object of my inventionV is to provide an improved apparatus for conditioning air, and particularly air for Ventilating rooms vo spaces used for human occupancy.

My invention `is characterized by, and c'om.A

prises an improved apparatus forjre'ducln'g'l the moisture content of, or dehumidifying air, and in some cases, i /dehumidiiication is the only v signiiicant cha yge in the condition'of` the air effected by the use ofthe invention. However.

My invention takes 'into'V account, and makes use of the fact that room atmosphere conditions suitable for the communica heanh vsi the room occupants may be maintained by the intermit-` tent supply of anl adequate amount ofdehumidi.- ed air to the room, and that if the periods dur-,- ingwhich air is'supplied are suitably long. and alternate withperiods suitably short inwhich the supply or fresh air is interrupted, the general my method of dehumidication involves an initial heating and subsequentcooling of theair, and the air cooling operation may advantageously be carried out, in' some cases, so as tov make the `delivery temperature of the conditioned air less v`than theinitial temperature of the air condi..

liioned.

In conditioning air in accordance with the present invention, I eliminate moisture from the air by bringing it into contact with some material, `such as silicagel, calcium chloride or activated alumina,.which in a dried, or activated, condition, is adapted to absorb a' large amount of moisture from air brought into 'contact with the material, and which. after having 'its moisture absorbing capacity reduced by the absorbed moisturev which it holds, can have that capacity restored or increased, by a reactivation or regeneration treatment, which I effect` by bringing 'into contact with the material, hot air admixed `withproducts' of combustion of, fuel burned'to heat the air. ,The words' absorb and absorption, as used herein, are' intended togenerically, include the actions'speciiically designated bythe words adsorb andfadsorption.

Heretoforezvarious proposals have lbeen made` for the use `of, absorbing ymaterial of the" character above-mentioned, todehumidifyjair and for the regeneration or reactivation of theimate rial, from time to time, by bringing hot 4gases into contact with the material. My'invention is characterized, however, by novelty in the ymeans for,

and method of carrying outyand relating the dehumidiflcation and regeneration .steps or stages, `by which the moisture absorbing material of fresh air tothe'room. While the precise dura- ,purging stage or period of about 3 minutes.

In thepreferred form of my inventi'onwI continuously move air, drawn directly 'from the .atmosphere or other source of air to be condi- Y tioned, into contact with the moisture absorbing material by which theV air is dehumidifled. During the dehumidication stage or period of each cycle, the air after passing out of contact with the moisture absorbing material, is subjected to acooling action to suitably` lower the temperature of the air, which is raised, while inA contact with said material,l bythe addition tothe air of sensible'heat corresponding in amount `to the n latent heat of evaporation of the moisture ab- ,sorbed from, theairlby the material. VDuring -each regeneration, or reactivation, period or lstate, the airv is lsubjected to a heating action,

suitably diminishing the relative humidity of the air, prior ltov the passage of the. air into contact with the absorbing material then being regenerated or reactivated, andthe air then passing out. of the contact with the absorbing material, andcarrying with it the moisture which it drives out of that materiaLis diverted from theair cooling`v means used in the dehumidification stage and from the rom or rooms-ventilated, and is ordinarily discharged to waste. y

The capacity for the regeneration of the material in a fraction of the time in winch thelmatef is'alternatelyused as a dehumidifyingagent and 65 .rial is used in dehumidifying ventilation air, is

the house.

l vmade practically possible in accordance with the present invention, lby the use'of simple and efwhich the absorbing material can be safely and economically subjected, and by disposing the moisture absorbing material relative to the path of air flow, so as to insure a desirably extended and close contact of the air with said material.

For the practice of myinvention, I have devised a novel air conditioning apparatus unit of such character that it may be located in the cellar or furnace room of an ordinary dwelling house of moderate size, and used to condition the air for Ventilating some or all of the various rooms of Said unit is adapted, however, for use', with no significant change except in its dimensions, to provide conditioned air in larger amounts, as required, for example, in the ventilation of oilice buildings, and of restaurants, theatres, and other large assembly rooms.

The improved unit in its preferred form is especially adapted for domestic use and without requiring skilled attendance, by the mechanically simple and reliable character of the provisions for carrying out, and for automatically repeating thedehumidiilcation `and regeneration actions at regular intervals.

The air cooling action to which the dehumidied air is subjected, may be effected by mechanical refrigeration means, by the use of cooling water drawnI from city water Supply mains or other available source of cooling water, yand by other means, and thecharacter of the cooling means desirably employed in different installations, will f ordinarily depend on cost and convenience considerations which will vary in diierent installations. Wherever it is especially desirable, or the cost of the additional cooling required is not economically objectionable, the cooling action may be carried out so as to make the delivery temperature of the conditioned air appreciabl'y lower than the temperature of air supplied for conditioning'. For` ordinary ventilation purposes, in localities and under conditions in which I anticipate that the greatest practical use of the invention will'be made, practically effective and satisfactory air conditioned results are obtainable without any signicant reduction in the temperature of the conditioned air below the prevailing atmospheric temperature, since, for example, air at a temperature as high as 85 or 90 F., in ordinary rooms, does not seriously inconvenience or give discomfort to the occupants of `the room,

provided the humidity of the air is suitably low.

For installations in which it is not convenient, or is Vtoo expensive, to cool the air by other means, I may cool the air by an evaporative action in a heat exchanger comprising passages for the air to be cooled'which are in good heat forms, comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement. While the various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification, for a better understanding of the invention and its advantages, reference may be v.transfer relation with passages through which .60

above, my limproved apparatus in preferred had to 'the accompanying drawings andneseriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of an air conditioning unit constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and in- Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionv on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 3A is a partial horizontal section on the line 3A-3A of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of control provisions included in the unit shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-'-5 of Fig. 6, of a unit of modied form; and

. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

'I'he air conditioning unit shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, comprises a casing or housing I, rectangular in its horizontal and vertical cross sections, and of any suitable construction. As

shown, its walls are formed of sheet metal, and its vertical .wallsinclude panels 2, removable to permit accessto the interior of the casing. Ordinarily, the casing walls will include or be covered by heat insulating material, not illustrated. An air inlet conduit 3, a waste heat air outlet conduit 4 and a conditioned air outlet conduit '5, respectively communicate with different portions-of the space within the casing I, through ports 3A, 4A and 5A, respectively in the casing top wall.

The conduit 3 which ordinarily `has its inlet end exterior to the building in which the unit is located, supplies to the plenum space IA within the unit casing I, the air which is.V to be conditioned, and the air which is use-iv in the re' activation of the dehumidifying material.- From the plenum space IA, the air passes in to one end of a horizontal conduit 6 adjacent the top of the-unit. 'I'he air entering the conduit 6 is heated during activation periods by the hereinafter described gas burner 1, the latterbeing inoperative during periods in which the unit is used in dehumidifying airi At its end remote fromthe burner 1, the conduit 6 delivers air to the upper end of a subjacent vertically disposed conduit 8. The latter delivers air through vertically distributed, horizontally elongated ports 9 in a vertical wall which forms a common side wall for the conduit 8 and for the housing enclosing a dehumidifying space or chamber I0.

As shown, the channel 8 diminishes in cross.

thickness and each extends horizontally across the space I6, and is supported by a perforated screen or tray I2. The material in the layers II may be any one of various known available materials adapted to absorb water and to be reactiasv activated alumina. The pervious trays or sponding pair of said layers.`

opening into the space above the uppermost layer screens I2 may take various forms. At the present time, I preferably form them of black iron sheets of about 24 gauge, with about 200 perforation per square inch, and with each perforation about %4" in diameter. In the type and form of apparatus shown, the thickness of each layer II and of the free air space between the top or each layer and the supporting tray I2 for The a layer above it, may well be 4 or 5 inches. dimensions just stated are not critioahand are given by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.

The air entering the space I6through' ports 9,.

ports 9.A As shown, each port I3 opens directly, to, and forms the only airoutletfrom the 'space' 1 between the two layers of material II of. a corre- There isa port 9 The Ian 22 :ls shown as driven byl a directly connected driving motor -24, and the yfan I9 is similarly driven. by a motor 25 shown in Fig. 4.' As collectively appears by Figs. 2 and 3, space for the two fans, their delivery conduits, and driving motors is provided at one side of Vthe chamber I0 and between the latter and adjacent th'e vertical side wall of the housing I. 'I'he described ar' rangement is practically desirable and important in some cases, because it contributes to compactness, permitting of theV convenient [arrangement of the unitV in a cellar or furnace room of restricted dimensions.

The ldescribed arrangement permits the rec- *tangular horizontal cross section of the dehumidifying` chamber I l to be square or approximately squarci', Similarly. the horizontal cross section of .vber'for the and their delivery conduits, and

II, and another port 9 opening vinto the space which alternate with the spaces to which the portsr I3 open.

Inconsequence, air entering the chamber I6 through any port 9 cannot pass outof the chamber except after passing through a layer I l interposed between the` port and 'a port I3. There are thus normally similar paths of ilow through the space I0 between each intermediate port 9 and the two ports I3 one at a level immediately above, vand the other at a level immediately belowv the level of the port 9. The described arrangement of the ports 9 and I3 th'us contributes to a ilow distribution through the space I0, making effective use of `all portions of all of the bodies ore layers I I, and minimizing the objectionable eiects of nonuniformity in thickness, perviousness, or

water absorbing' capacity of diierent portions of y the diierent bodies Il.

- The ports I3 open into a vertically disposed -outlet passage I4 which increases in horizontal.

cross section'from its top to its bottom,to facilitate the distribution of iiow4 through the' chamber y lwiththe, 'other two housing walls spaced from the adjacentwalls of thechamber I0, to provide space lfor 'the cnduits, I4, and Il: The described shapeV of .theapparatus vpermits of 'practically maximum compactness to the chamber I0 and housing I, but except las compactness facilitates .the use of the apparatus in restricted spaces and as-it may, contribute to some economy in housing construction, the features of form and shape `just referred to, are unimportant. The air heater 1, hich may take various forms, is shqwnas comprising two similar hollow castings arranged one above the other. .Each casting-comprises a central .portion 30. and four arms 3I,th ere an upper anda lower-arm 7 extendinghorizontally away from the central portion 3 0, at each side of the latter; The eight arms 43l are this arranged like the bars of a gridiron, and collectively extend across the inlet end of -thep'assage 6. The central portion 30 of each'burner `casting receives gas and primary combustion vair through a corresponding horiorspace I0. Adjacent its lower end, the conduit I4 communicates with the adjacent end of a horizontal conduit or passage I5 underlying the 'chamber I0 and traversed by the tubes of a tubular air cooler I6. At its opposite end, the passage I5 opens into a chamber or conduit I1, elongated in a direction transverse to' that of the conduit` I5. The chamber or passage I1 communicates at one end with the inlet eye I8 of the casing of a fan I9 which drawsair through the dehumidifying chamber Ill and air cooler I5, and delivers air through the fan delivery conduit 20 to the housing outlet 5A and conduit 5 in the dehumidifying stages of operation of the apparatus. During reactivation periods, alternating with the 4dehumidiiication periods, the air entering through the conduit I4 through the ports I3, is withdrawn from the conduit I4 by a ian 22 having its casing inlet eye 2| opening to the lower portion of the conduit I4 through 'a side wall of the latter. outlet from the casing of the fan 22 is connected by a conduit 23 to the waste air outlet 4A and discharge conduit 4.

zontal mixing tube 32. Each mixing tube receives a stream or jet of gas from a vertical sup- |ply pipesection 33 at one side of the passage @and said. stream or jet aspirates vprimary air .into thefmixing'tube through an air inlet (not shown); asis customary in the operation of Bunsen type gas `burners. The pipe section 33 is connectedlbya horizontal pipe section 34 to the Voutlet of amain control valve 35,`which has its inlet'connected to the gas supply pipe 36. Each of, thesuperposed arms `26 of each casting are con ectedat their `outer ends.

"e'burner'arms 3I are formed with burner .oriiices or outlets at their sides adjacentV the passage 6v for the discharge into the latter of streams orfjets of gas mixed with primary air for combustion, the secondary air for combustion beingfurnished by the air stream then being drawn into the passage 6 from the plenum TheA chamber IA,-through' the rectangular air .ports above, and below eaclrarm 3|. As shown, each arm 3i constitutes a burner element of the socalled ribbon type, being formed with an outlet vslot extending 'for substantially the full length of the arm, inwhich is packed strip metal 3l, y y

'bent to form a multiplicity of iine burner ori- Y fices. Theelongated air ports above and below each varm 3i insure a. ilow into the passage distributed uniformly across the passage 6, which is desirable because .itA contributes to ei'lcient combustion, and to a substantial uniformity in or bodies.

mixture and tempertaure of the air and the products of combustion ilowing from the passage 6 through the conduit 8 into the chamber I8, to activate or regenerate the material in the layers One of the burner castings is formed with outlet 38 for discharging a jet of -the-gas and primary air mixture adapted to be ignited by the llame :from a pilot burner 38, the purpose of operation of which is hereinafter described.

'I'he walls enclosing the dehumidifying space I and the passages or conduits ,8, 8, I4, I5, and I1, may well be forgned of sheet metal parts connected in any usual or suitable manner, ex-

I cept that provisions ordinarily shouldnbe lmade for placing the moisture absorbing material layersin placein the apparatus, after the'opera'- I8 and 22 isadVantageously formed of separable sperposed horizontally extending sections, comprising a bottom section 40 intermediate sections 4I, and a top section 42, which can be put in place after vthe trays I2, are anchored in place, and have had distributed over them the material constituting the layers I I.

As shown, tray supporting angle bars 43 are.

spot-welded or otherwise secured to the wall of the chamber I0, adjacent the fans, and to the walls in which the .ports 8 and I3 are formed, to provide lsupports for three side edges of each lowermost tray I2. lliiach intermediate sectionv 4I diners from the bottom section 48 only in that itsy lower portion is not flanged. but constitutes a dat tongue entering and snugly received in the groove 48 of the immediately subjacentL section. The top wall section 42 is of L shape incross section, comprising main vertical portion which has its lower edge received in the -g'roove 48 of the subjacent section 4|, and an outturned upper horizontal portion which abuts against the metal plate forming the top wall of the chamber I0 and the bottom Wall of the passage 5.

The air cooler I6 in the passage I5, may take any usual or suitable form. As shown, it comprises a plurality of horizontal tubes 58 extending across the passage I5 at each of a plurality of different levels. The tubes 58 at each level,

tray I2. At its fourth side edge, each tray I2 y is provided with a supporting -part 44. The lat'- ter as shown, is in the form of a strip of sheet metal having a vertically disposed body portion with ,a transversely bent lower edge portion 45. The latter extendsbeneath, and is. connected, as :by spot-welding to the tray |2. Each mem- 'ber 44 has transversely bent outwardly extending end portions 48 secured as by means of bolts 41 to the corresponding edge portions 4l of the opposed walls of the chamber I0 in which the ports 8 and I3 are respectively formed.

In assembling the trays I2 and absorbing laymaterialover the trays will not be impeded by.

space restrictions, except as it may lbe to a certain extent in the case of the uppermost tray andlayer.-

The proper weight of layer forming ma- The bottom wall section part 48 is formed at its lo'wer edge with an outturned ilange portion abutting against the metal plate vcons tituting the bottom wall of the chamber I0 and the top wall olf the passage I5. .The sheet metal from which the section 40 is formed is bent or folded to provide a vertical groove 48 at the top of the section, the groove beingopen at its upp'er sideV and to provide an vinner depending skirtportion 48. In the assembled apparatus, the skirtportion 49 .of the section`48 is in overlapping relation with, and at the innerside of the' body portion or the supporting p art 44 secured to the are connected by return bends 5I to provide a continuous serpentine iiow path for water from an inlet header 52 at the end of the cooler adjacent the chamber I'I and an outlet header 53 at the end of the cooler adjacent the conduit I4. Water is supplied to the inlet header 52 by la supply pipe 54 (see Fig. 4), the ow through which is controlled by a valve 55 automatically opened and closed as hereinafter described.

The tubes 58 extend through vertical metal plates 58 and 51 extending longitudinally of the passage I5. The vertical plates 56 constitute the side walls of the passage I5 and form the main supports for the tubes 50. The plates 5l are spaced to divide the passage I5 into a multiplicity of narrow, vertically elongated channels, and have driving fits with the tubes 50, or are otherwise associated therewith to be in good heat conductivity relation with the tubes, so as to increase the rate. of heat transfer from the hot air moving through the passage I5, to the cobling water moving through the tubes 50.

In the intended operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the fan I9 operates and the fan 22 does not operate during the dehumidication stage, and it is then desirable that all of the air moved by the fan I9 should be drawn through the dehumidifying chamber IIJ, and that there should be no backow through the conduits 4 and 23 and the casing of the fan 22. Such backflow is prevented in the apparatus shown by a check valve 68, and a similar check valve 68A is provided to prevent backow from the room or rooms supplied with conditioned air, through the conduits 5 and 20 and the casing of the fan I8, when the latter is out of operation and the fan 22 is in operation during the activation and purging periods.

As collectively shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the waste air outlet element 4A is larger in horizontal cross section than the upper portion of the conduit 23 and projects laterally outward from the upper end of the conduit 23 at all sides of the latter, and thereby provides a seat for the check valve 60. The latter is advantageously of such light weight that it will be lifted from itsseat into, and 'held in its Wide open position by the air ilowing upward through the conduit 23, when the fan 22 is in operation, without creating any significant back ,pressure or resistance to the flow of air from the conduit23 into the outlet 4A. When the normal operation of the fan 22 is interrupted, terminating the upilow through conduit 23, the valve will drop into engagement with its seat under the action of gravity and the suction oi.' the fan I9. The valve member 68 may be formed of suitable sheet metal, such A as stainless steel, butin the form-shown, comprises av sheet of asbestos reinforced by a pair, of

parallel light weight metal bars or strips 6I secured to the asbestos and al pair of similar bars or strips extending transversely of and secured to the bars 6I. Barlike parts 63, secured in the outlet 4A at a suitable level above its lower end, form stops which arrest the up-movement of the valve member 60, and against which the lat-y ter is held by the air stream when the fan 22 is in operation.

The check valve 60A may be exactly like the valve B0, and the outlet 5A is shaped to provide a t seat for the valv'e 60A, similar to the seat for the valve 60 formed by the outlet 4A.

In the intended normal operation of lthe apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, during each dehumidication period of about 25 minutes, the motor 25 driving the fan I9 is in operation, the valve 55 in the water supply pipe leading to the air cooler IB is open, .the fan motor 24 is out of operation, and the main gas supply valve 35 is closed. i

The extent to which the air drawn into the apparatus through the fresh air supply conduit 3, is dehumidified in the dehumidication stage of operation, depends uponsuch design factors as the area and thickness of the moisture absorbu ,tion layers II, the'moisture absorbing capacity of the material in those layers, and the weight'rate of air movement through the layers. I now considerit good'practice to design a unit of the character shown in Figs. 1,.g2,.and 3so that in normal operation about 70% of the moisture content of the fresh air will be removed-.from the LIn general, `that capacity, at least,vshould be sufficient to eliminate the increase -in dehumidied air temperature occurring in the passage of the air through the dehumidifying chamber I0. The

- air as it passes through the 'dehumidica-tion 'v cooler I6 can be designed and operated to cool air to a temperature below the atmospheric air temperature, when the conditions make it worthwhile to provide the additional cooling effect required.

i y During each activation or regeneration period of about 12 minutes which immediately follows each dehumidifying period, the fan motor 24 is' in operation, the main gas valve pipe 35 is open, the fan motor I25 is out of` operation, and the cooler water supply valve is closed. At the end of each activation period, the' only change in the operative condition of the apparatus made to initiatethe purging period of about3l minutes which follows theactivation period, and pre-A cedes the subsequent absorption period, consists moisture driven out of the absorbing material in the layers II during the activation periods, must equal the amounts of moisture absorbed by the material during the dehurridication stage. The capacity of the apparatus to eliminate moistune from the absorbing material in I the layers II during each activation period, depends Aupon the weight rate of air `ow through the chamber Ill, and the relative humidity of the air, and the temperature to which the air is heated by the heater 1. While in designing the apparatus considerable latitude is permissible in respect to the activation air' velocity and tem-A perature, in general, the air velocity must not be high enough to involve risk of displacement of the material in the beds Il, or high enough to result in an undesirably large differential between the pressures in the conduits 8 and I4.

It is desirable also that the temperature to` which theair is heated bythe burner 1 should not be high enough vto involve an objectionably large amount of heat radiation to the atmosphere in the room in which the unit is located, `or to create a' rire hazard, or to so attenuate the vair heat-ed as to objectionably increase the air pump capacity required.'-

A controly system or arrangement for automatically starting and stopping the motors 24 Yand 25, and for controlling the gas and water valves 35 and 55, respectively, and for serving certainl l'iereinafterv mentioned safety. purposes, is illustrated inV Fig. 4. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the timing of the dehumidifying, activating and purging stages of each of the'recurrent operating cycles of the apparatus,-

is ,automatically effected by a time clock controller 'I3.including an electric driving andtiming motor 12', energized from electric supply conductors 10 and 1I. Thetimeclock 'I3 may be and as shown is, of a commercial type, and comprises switch members I4 and I5 given clockwise opening and counterclockwise closing adjustments at regularly recurring time intervals while' the motor 'I2 is in operation, through Vcams actuated by saidA motor. f

The controlzsyste'm and the conditioning apparatus-which it-controls, are put into and out of operation'by the closure and opening of a so-called ownersfswitch 16. The closure of that `switch energizes the time clock motor 12 through a circuit comprising the supplyconductor V'10, conductor TI, switch 16, conductorl running to onet-terminal'of, the motor. 12, and conductors 19.' and 80 connecting the other terminal of the.

motor 12 to lthe supply'conductor `'II. Ifl the e activation or purging stage of the operation cycle is being` carried out when the owner switch IB is opened, the apparatus will continue in operation until the time clock is in condition to initiate the subsequent dehumidieation' stage. This result is secured by means ofan auxiliary energizing circuit for `the motor 12, which'is closed whenever the activation motor 24 is -in operation. The auxiliary clock energizing circuit comT prises a supply conductor II, conductors 80 and 19, the terminals of the motor 12, a portion ofconductors 18, a conductor 8l,l the switch blade in the closure of the main gas'supply valve 35.

During the purgingperiod, the" hot activating mixture of air and products of combustion produced vby the' burner, are fully expelled from the apparatus and the latter is cooled by the ow of air then unheated which is moved through l the apparatus by the fari 22.

82 of an electro-magnetic switch83 and a conductor 84 which connects the blade 82 to the supply conductor 10, when thev electro-magnetic switch is energized, as it\is when the vmotor 24 is in operation.

It is necessary, of course, that the amounts oi? 75 Under normal conditions, theclosure of the owners switch establishes an energizingcircuit for the driving motor 25 lfor the dehumidiiica- 6 tion fan I and v-acircuit for opening the valve 55 controlling Jiiow through the water supply pipe 54 for the cooler |6. The energizing circuit for the motor 25 then closed, includes supply conductor 10, conductor 11, switch 16. conductor 18, Aconductor 8|, switch blade v82 conductor 85 leading from one contact of the switch 83 to one terminal of the iinotor 25, and a conductor fas vthrough which the second' terminal of the 'motor is connected to the supply conductor-1|. Thecircuitclosedto open the valve 55, which is an electro-magentic valve biased to closed, in-

cludes a conductor t1, connecting one terminal of the valve 55 to the conductor 05 and thereby to the supply conductor l0, and a conductor 88 connecting the second terminal ofthe valve to the supply conductor Fi;

vThe dehumidication period or stage is terminated at the proper time by the time clock 13 which then closes the switch 15, and then, 20 seconds or so later, closes the switch 14. The closure of the switch energizes the winding' of the electro-magnetic switch l2. by closing a circuit including supply conductor 16, conductor 11, switch 16, conductor 10, switch 15, conductors 89 and 90, winding of switch 65, conductor 80 and supply conductor 1|. When the winding of switch 03 is energized, the switch blade 82 is turned downward against the action of its bias spring, to break engagement with vthe conductor 8'5 andthereby open the energizing rcircuit for the motor and the energizing' circuit for the valve 55. This interrupts the operation of the fan I0 and interrupts the supply of cooling water to the cooler Il. When the switch blade'15 connects the conductors 09 to the supply conductor 10, it \also completos an energizing circuit for the activation fan motor 24, to one terminal of which the conductor l0 is' connected, is connected bya conductor 04. The second terminal o f/the `motor 24 is connected to i the supply conductor 1| through the conductor L as .When Vthe tinie clock gives a closing adjust'- ment; to the' switch 14, it closes the primary ciri cuit of a transformer 9|, the secondary ofwhich supplies current for energizing the motor mechanism of the main gas valve 35 to open the'latter. The primary circuit of thetransformer 5|, comprises supply Vconductor 10, conductor 11-, switch16, conductor 10, switch 14, conductor 02, thermostatically controlled switch 5l, primary winding of transformer 8|, conductor 94, and

cuit, is normally closed, but is adapted to open automatically, to cle-energize andl close the main 4may be an electrical conduit or a .pressure transmitting connection 98.

The gas supply line includes-an automatic gas valve 99, of known commercial type. The valve 'sa is adapted to close when the pressure transmitted to itby a thermometer bulb |00 is reduced on the extinction of the pilot light, or

when the pressure transmitted to it from a theri mometer bulb '|02 is increased from that corresponding to normal atmospheric temperature to that corresponding to a temperature of 220 or so. The bulb |00, as shown, is coiled about the pilot burner 38 so that the bulb pressure may I' be quickly responsive to the operation ornonoperation ofv the pilot light.` The thermometer bulb luz is located in the fresh air iniet 3A, but` is not intended to respond operatively to variations inr atmospheric temperature. It serves a safety device purpose, in'that it isadapted to cut oil! the supply of gas to the burner 1 and' also to the pilot burner 38, when, as a result of fan failure or some analogous operating defect. the normal movement of the air through the apparatus isl interrupted, and as a result ofi' burner operation, the temperature in the apparatus builds up to the point at which the back ilow through the conduit cheats the bulb |02 to its operating temperature of 220 F., or so.

' As shown in Fig. 4, the vpilot burner 38 normally receives gas througha branch supply pipe E03 connected to the main ygas supplypipe 36 between the outlet of the cuton' valve 99 and the inlet of the'main control valve 35. The closure of the latter valve does not interrupt vthe operation of the pilot valve, but the closure of the valve $9 does extinguish the pilot burner iiame. y In restarting the apparatus into operation, folsupply conductor 1|. vThe terminals of 'the transformer secondary are connected to the terminals of the motor fvalve mechanism by conductors 95 and 96, respectively.

The operating'v mechanisms of the valves 354 and need not be illustrated and described in detail herein, since each' of those valves maybe of a known commercial type. The valve 35 is i biased to its closed position,;and 'is opened by the operation of a low voltage motora The closure of the switch 14 and opening of the gas valve 35 is delayed for 20 seconds or so, following the closure of the switch 15, to permit the speed of the activation fan 22 to build up, and start an air movement through the activation path of flow, before the burner 1 is 'started into opera-A tion by the opening of the gas valve 35. As soon as the valve 35 is opened and gas begins to pass out of vthe' burner through the outlet $1. the burner is'ignited by the flame from the pilot 'burner Il.

lowing a period in which the pilot valve has been out of operation, gas may be supplied to the pilot burner for operation of the latter long enough to heat up the thermometer bulb |00, and thereby open the valve 99, by opening a normally closed push-button valve |04 in a by-pass |05 between the portion of the main supply pipe zat the inlet side of the valve 99 and the pipe If the temperature in the conduit |4 attains a`undu1y'high value ef 35o er 360 F. or se,

at any time, it isoan indication that the apparatus is operating unsatisfactorily, and should be shut d own for inspection and adjustment or repairs. With the arrangementv shown in Fig. 4, 1

such an interruption in the operation of the apparatus is effected automatically by means of a thermometer bulb or other temperature respon. sive device |06, extending into the conduit |'4, and a pressure transmitting or other actuating connection |01 between the temperature respon- -sive device |06 and a-normally open valve |00 in the gas supply line at a point in the gas supply piping for the pilot burner at the outlet sides of the valves 99 andv |04. The valve |05 'l'he switch 0I in the primary transformer cirv 15 is biased for adjustment into its open position,

llame, and the closure of the valve 99, and thereby interrupts the operation of the burner 1.

In Figs. 5 and 6,-1 have illustrated ka dehumi- I difying unit diering in some respects from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and 3. -The unit of Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a housing IAA generally like the housing I, `and is provided with a fresh air inlet 3B, a conditioned -air outlet 5B, and a waste activation air outlet 4B, corresponding to the inlet 3A and outlets 5A and 4A, respectively of the construction rst described. The apparatus of Figs, 5 and 6 includes a burner 1A, a dehumidifying chamber IBA and a cooler IBA which may be identical with the element 1, III, and I6 of the construction first described. The apparatus of Figs. 5 and 6 also includes passages 6A, 8A, IIIA, 15A, and I1A, corresponding generally to, though differing somewhat in form fromthe passages 6, 8, I4, .I5 and l1 of the construction rst described.

The principal operative differences between the two units, is that in the unit of Figs. 5 and 6, the conditioned air fan' ISA and the activation fan 22A, are directly connected to the shaft of the same common driving motor H0. which is a reversible motor and operatively actuates the fan ISA only when operating in one direction, and operativelyactuates the fan 22A only when operating in the opposite direction. To permit of the side by side coaxial relation of the two fans, the inlet eye of the fan `22A is connected to the passage 'MA by a conduit I I I, located at one side of the dehumidifying chamber IIIA and communicating with the passage IIA through a port H2. A check valve 60B, shown as a pivoted or flap valve, is provided to prevent backow from the outlet 5B tothecasing ofthe fan ISA through its delivery conduit 2IIA. A similar check valve 60C is'employed to prevent backow from the out` let 4B tothe fan 22A through its delivery conduit 23A.l The operating cycle of the unit shown in Figs. 4 and 5, may be exactly the same as that ofthe unit first described, and the` unit of Figs. 5 and 6 may be provided with automatic control and safety provisions like or analogous to those shown in Fig. '4. The unit of Figs. 5 and 6, has the advantage of making use of but a single fan driving motor, but the use of aseparate driving motor for each fan in' the unit first described, has a compensating advantage in that it permits each fan and its driving motor to have the design and the proportions most suitable for its conditions of operation. With each of the two units already described, I consider it ordinarily desirable to move air to be dehumidied, and air and 'products of combustion for activation through the chamber I or IDA at about the sameweight rate. This means that of the plane of Fig. 6 is necessarily greater than is required for the transverse horizontal dimension, of the unit, since asseen in Fig. 6, the passage I 4A, chamber IIIA, passage 8A, and fan delivery conduits are arranged alongside of one another, whereas in the transverse direction, the

housing really needs to be only wide enough to accommodate the side by side outlets conduits 4B and 5B.

In both forms of the invention illustrated, the air ilow through theunit, in each stage of operation is along a ow path including an initial down component followed by an up component. This contributes to unit compactness, which is of especially importance in adapting the invention for ready use under such spatial restrictions as prevail when the unit is located'in the cellar or basement of a moderate size dwelling house.

of Fig. 4, may well be a device manufactured' by the Detroit Lubricator Company and known as its furnace control No. 286.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I `have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth the capacity of the activation fan, 22 or 22A,

must beappreciably greater than that of the absorption fan I9 or ISA, because of the higher pactness over the unitgof Figs. 5 and 6, where conditions make an approximation to a square horizontal cross section of the unit housing desirable. As will 4be apparent, the horizontal ex- 4 ltent of the unit of Figs, 5 and 6 in the direction said Jacket and supported by and .v above said in the-appended claims and that in some cases certain 'features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for dehumidimying air,y comprising an enclosed chamber with the wall at one side of said chamber formedof separable superposed` secions, superposed pervious beds within `and extending across said chamber and each comprising a tray supporting a layer of granular material which is adapted to absorb moisture from relatively cool humid air and to give up moisture to 5 relatively hot dry air, supporting means within said chamber for supporingthe different trays, each tray being movable into place in said chamber and intoengagement with the said supporting'l means therefor through the said side of said chamber when said sections are not in place, whereby each tray may be put in place in said chamber and the material forming the said layer supported by the tray may be spread out over the tray prior to the putting in place of any tray at a higher level, means for securing said superposed sections in place, said trays and sections having vertically'dispcsedportions adapted to overlap and interlock adjacent vtray with an adjacent section.

2. An air conditioning unit comprising a base lsupporting member; an enclosing jacket Vhaving an air inlet,.a .conditioned-air outlet, and a' waste-air outlet all located in the upper part thereof; a dehumidifier casing arranged Within member and containing moisture-absorbing material; a cooling conduit including air cooling means supported by said member and arranged between the latter and said casing; a conditioned-.air fan and a waste-air fan in the lower portion of said jacket and supported by said member; conduit means providing for the movement of air over a permanent flow path including the jacket inlet, across the top and down along one side of said casing, through the latpart of said jacket and adjacent the inlet sideter and over` the material therein and out through the side opposite its entrance, and then for the movement of such air over two alternative flow paths, one alternative path including said cooling conduit, said conditioned-air fan and said -conditioned-air outlet and the other alternative path including said waste-air fan and said wasteair outlet; control means providing for the movement of air along said permanent flow path and said one alternative ilow path for dehumidiiication periods, and along said permanent flow path and said other alternative flow path for reactivaand extending between the bottom of said casing and said member and from a point beneath the air outlet side of said casing toward a point beneath the inlet side thereof; a waste-air fan in the lower part of said jacket and adjacent the outlet side of said casing and supported by said member; a conditioned-air fan in the lower of said casing and supported by said member; heating means in the upper part of said jacket; and means providing for the iiow of air through said jacket inlet, over said heating means, over tion periods; heating means in said conduit means ahead of said casing; and means for operating said heating means during reactivation periods only.

3. An air conditioning unit comprising an en- 'closing jacket having an air inlet, a conditionedair outlet, and a waste-air outlet; a body of y moisture-absorbing material in said jacket; air

heating means in said jacket; a conditioned-air fan; a waste-air fan; conduit means providing a rst ow path for air including said inlet, said body of moisture-absorbing material and said conditioned-air fan and .outlet and providing a second flow path including said inlet, said heating means. said body of material and said wasteair fan and outlet; control means providing for the operation of said conditioned-air fan and for the non-operation of said waste-air fan and heating means during dehumidiiication periods, and for the operation of said waste-air fan and heating means and non-operation of said conditioned-'air fan during periods of activation of said material; non-return valve Ameans in said conduit means between the conditioned-air fan and outlet and preventing reverse iiow of air therethrough during activation periods; and a secondn non-return valve means between the waste-air ian and outlet and preventing reverse flow of air therethrough during dehumidiilcation periods.

4. An air conditioning unit comprising a base supporting member; an enclosing jacket having an air inlet, a conditioned-air outlet, and a waste-air outlet-all located in'the upper part thereof; a dehumidifier casing arranged within said jacket and supported by and abovesaid member and including a pair of opposed upright side wall parts having air inlet and outlet openings, respectively, formed therein; said casing containing amoisture-absorbing material adapted to be contacted by air owing therethrough;

a cooling conduit including air cooling means the moisture-absorbing material, and through the cooling conduit and conditioned-air fan and upward to the conditioned-air outlet during dehumdiilcation periods, and providing for the ilow of air from said jacket inlet over said heating means, over the moisture-absorbing material 4and through the waste-air fan and upward to the waste-air outlet during reactivation periods, and including means for operating'said heating means only during reactivation periods.

5. An air conditioning unit comprising a base supporting member; a cooling conduit extending along said member and having an inlet at'one end and an outlet at the opposite end; air cooling means in said conduit; a conditioned-air fan nected to said manfoldmeans; a heating conduit extending along the top of said casing and having an inlet adjacent said one end wall and an outlet adjacent said other end wall; heating means in said heating conduit; a second upright manifold connecting the heating conduit outlet with the openings in said other end wall; a jacket structure enclosing the above-mentioned elements and having an inlet connected to the heating conduit inlet, an outlet connected to the discharge of said conditioned-air fan, and an outlet connected to the discharge of said waste-air fan; moisture-absorbing material positioned` in said casing to be contacted by air flowing therethrough betweenthe openings in said end walls; and control means providing for the passage of air through said heating conduit, said material,

said cooling conduit and conditioned-air fan during dehumidiilcation periods, and through said heating conduit, said material and said wasteair fan during reactivation periods and including means for operating said heating means only during reactivation periods.

WILLIAM R.. ZUHLKE. 

